Mine door



W. T. FERGUSON.

MINE DOOR,

men JULY 29. 1922.

Feb. 20, 1923.

Feb: 20,- 1928. 1,446,340.

MINE DOOR. mm JULY 29. 1922. 2 suing-su ar 2.

I WTZErgusafl Fatented Feb. 2@, 1923.

entries stares A WILLIAM 'r. FERGUSON, or

MINE,

Application filed Jul 29,

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, VVILLTAM T. FERGU- soN,a citizen of the United States, residing at Beckl'ey, in the countyofRaleigh and State of vVest Virginia, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Mine Doors; and I doYhereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make anduse the same. v

The invention relates to means whereby the ventilation of a mineiscontrolled to prevent dangerous accumulation of gas and to insure apositive circulation of airand which results are attained by the use ofdoors or stops.

. Specifically considered, the present invention relates to an automaticmine door adapted to be actuated means of a trip rail disposed adjacentthe track upon which the mine cars run so asto beengaged by the carwheels, the door being automatically opened by the car or other movingobject and automatically closed by means of a spring or weight or theircombined action.

Other objects and advantages will be ap parent and suggest themselves asthe nature of the invention is understood.

While the drawings illustrate an embodiment of the inventionit is to beunderstood that in adapting the same to meet different conditions andrequirements, various changes in the form, proportion and minor detailsof construction maybe resorted to without departing from the nature ofthe invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the'applicttion,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of an automatic mine door embodying theinvention, showing the same applied,

Figure 2 is a side'view of the parts illustrated in Figure 1,

Figure?) is an enlarged sectional detail on the line 33 of Figure 1, l

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of the parts associated with the hingejoint between sections of the trip rail, 1

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line 5-5 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a side view of the parts shown in Figure 5, and

Figure? is an enlarged view of the bufiier or yieldable connectioninterposed in the line of connections.

FAYEFLNT BEGKLEY, weer VIRGINIA.

noon. I

1922. Serial No. 578,334.

'(Jorres outlin and like arts are referred bylike reference characters.

The numeral 1 designates the rails com prising the track upon which'themine cars areadapted to run. At the required point in the length of the;track, a frame 2 is erected to receive the mine door which coactstherewith. As shown, the mine door is of the type comprising similarleaves 0 hinged at their outer vertical edges to the uprights of theframe 2 so as toswing in opposite directions. A transverse bar 4; ispivotally connected to arms 5 projecting laterally from the leaves 3,whereby to cause said leaves to move inunison in reverse direction. A.curved arm 6 projects laterally from the hinged portion of each of theleaves 3 and a link 7 is pivotally connected to the outer portion ofeach of the arms 6. One of the arms 6 has an extension 8 to which acontractile helical spring 9 is adjustably connected by means of aturnbuckle 10, whereby tension of the closing spring adapted to beregulated. M p i i A trip rail associated with each track rail 1 andispreferably disposed along the inne'r'side of the track rail, there beinga trip rail for each approach to the door,

whereby the latter may be automatically opened by a car approaching fromeither direction. Each of the trip ralls comprises an outer section 11and an inner section 12,

the adjacent ends of the two sections being hingedly connected asindicatedmost clearly in Figure 1, The trip rail is of l--form in crosssection and a hinge 13 is attached to the horizontal portion of the adjacent ends of the sections 11 and 12. A fitting 14: is

riveted or otherwise attached tonne of the members of the hinge 13 andthe upper end of a link 15 is p'ivotally connected thereto. The lowerend of the link 15 is pivoted to the outer end of an arm 16 which isattached to ashaft 1?. A weighted arm 18 is attached to the shaft 17 andmaterially assists in the operation'of the door. An arm 19 attached thedoor is normally held closed and the arms 19" and 19, respectively, towhich the rod '20 is pivotally connected. A bar 21 passes beneath atrack rail 1 and is attached thereto and the shaft 17 or correspondingpart is journaled thereto. The bar 21 is of L-form in cross section andis firmly'ab tached to the foot of the track rail; A plate thewebthereofi This is shownmost clearly- A fulGIfumblO'ck 26 is secured toa trackrail 1 l and is formedin its outer end :Wltll a dovetailssloti-27in Whiehis loosely fitted a dovetail fulcrum 28 riveted or otherwisesecuredto the underside'of the trip railsection 11. A bolt 29extendsacross the dovetailslot 27 and retains :the' dovetail--fulcrum 28in positionxthereinn"gThe fulcrum block 26 hasan' extension 30 whichpasses beneath the rail 1 and-is bolted or otherwise attached .there-=to. -A portionof the fulcrumhIQclr-QG over.-n

hangs the foot of the rail as indicateds'at -81,

thereby materiallyi assisting theffestening I 'means in. holdingthefulcrum block in position. The'fulcrum28 has aloosefit in the slot 2?,asshown most clearly in Figure 6,

whereby to admit of a rocking movementw thereofas the section.ll pivots;The ar' rangement is suclr'as to provide a substantial joint and admitof thereadyremoval andreplacement \of I the trip rail as required."

'The trip rail: section 11 inclines to the horizontal, Whereas. the'section lil is horizontally disposed; rA mine car approaching the;'doorridesupon the section 111 and. de-

presses the .trip=,i-'ailmvherebythe several shafts 1'7, 17 and' li arerocked With'the result that; the rod connecting the arms of said shafts?livithone another.- and :-With the: arm 6 of theminedoo'r'ism0ved-longitudinally and -effectsnanfluopening-of the door v againsttheaet-ion-iof theiwei'ghted arm 19 and spring #9: After-theear;-clea:rs- -the door and the trip rail upon;the opposi-te sidethereof, said doonisautomatically closed by the comparts are" attacheddirectly; to the track rails and ;-not' "to any ftleSjnQT otherisupporting;

- in pre. bined action of the spring;;% and ,Weighted 1 A arm 18.1iIt isobservedthat the ioperating means,;hence in the installation of the minedoor, it is not necessary to adapt the supporting and connecting meansto certain ties or to provide special supporting means, and ,asa resultthe door may bequrckly 1nstalled and at a minimum expense.

To prevent impairment of the connections by sudden depression of thetrip rail, a buffer or yieldable connection 32 is interposed -.in

the line of connections. This buffercomprises'a gulde frame "33,:a crosshead 34 slid.-

able on the guide frame and an expansiblet helical spring 35 mounted onan end portionof a connecting rod and confined between the cross headMaud an endof the frame 83.

hatis clanned 1s 1. In a mine door, operating meansthere-H for includinga trip rail carrying a fulcrum,

a fulcrum block in WlllCllGfilCl fulcrum is disposed with suflicientplay for actuation and means-for attaching thefulcrumblock 7 directly toa track rail.

2. In a mine door, operating:mechanism therefor including a triprail'providedwith '5 an approximately dovetail fulcrum, a fulcrum blockhaving a slot to EGCQHVG' the I-fulcru-miof the'triprail, means forclosing said block to retain the fulcrum 'inplaceztherein and means forattaching-the fulcrum l b-locks directly to a track rail.

3. In a mine door foperatingimechanism I thereforincludinga trlp IBJlhaVIDg a dove- V tail fulcrum -a fulcrum block j having anextensiomadapted-to pass beneatha track I I rail land to be attachedto the'footthereof upon one-(side wand -having a portion overs hanging the footupon the opposite sidey said block? having a dovetails-lotto receive thefulcrum of the trip 'railyand means for closingfsaid' :slot to 'retain:the fulcrum therein 1 i. In a mine door, operating Ji'lQCl'lZlIllSHltherefor includingan L-bar passing beneath a traclcrail,= 1116211191501attaching thewbar to the footof the-:railw-upon one-side -a plateforming connecting means between said barn and the foot of the railuuponthe'opposite side, a plate: attached to the-vertical Wing of the bar andhaving alip underlapping the 2 lower'edge of said Wing; a shaft-mountedupon said plate and bar and-connecting? means? between said shaft:andinine door sence of two .WltllGSSQS; IVILLIAMj FERGUSON;

iVitnesses i a C. V. GOTTLEgg R. TURNER:"

tirnony whereof-lafiix' my si 'nature. I

